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Last year has been an awesome year for us. This year, we are hoping for it to turn out even better. I truly believe in the importance of starting the year right. Starting the year right to me has many definitions.

Starting the year right means…

1. starting the year with lesser debt and even better 0% debt. If you’ve accumulated debts in the past years, you have made sure, you have paid them off or at least minimized them!

People especially young ones are counting the days now till Christmas time. And in the consumer world we are in, many of us are thinking of splurging and spending a lot for this season to impress our loved ones with material gifts.

Yes, many people end up bragging and showing off during this holiday season in order to impress other people with that they have. Be sure you do not fall for this trap.

While I am not saying we shouldn’t give gifts to the ones we love, I do suggests that we take the time to reconsider our purchases. There are many cheaper options than buying expensive gifts.

More and more people are using the internet these days to shop. And there are many good reasons for that. While we can’t say that shopping online is risk free, the advantages and benefits surely outweigh all of these possible risks.

Here are some reasons why online shopping is better….

Discreet shopping – When you shop online for items like underwears or lingerie you won’t need to worry about the eyes that normally stare at you in stores. Online shopping offers the benefit of privacy especially when buying items that would usually elict awkward stares and responses from other buyers. Today, you can buy just about anything online.

More Options – When you shop through the internet, you have access to any online store worldwide. With just a click of a mouse, you can already browse through hundreds or thousands of different products before you pick your choice. This requires less time and effort as compared to browsing the items in a store.

Discounts – Online stores have plent of discounts and sale items as compared to physical stores because they are competing for these stores. The discounts are usually all year round as compared to the discounts and sales in stores that are only on designated occasions and timins such as Black Friday or Holiday Sale. Here are couponbuzz, you have the luxury of having access to a wide variety of online store promotions. The list is just ended and big stores like Sony, HP, Dell are included. Imagine all the savings you can get.

Open 24/7 – While physical stores have opening and closing times, online stores operate 24/7. This is perfect for busy people who just have no time to go to the mall especially during operational hours. Anybody can have access to online stores found on the internet, as long as they have access to the internet. That’s all it takes.

Convenience – Last of all, online shopping provides the utmost convenience which shopping in physical stores cannot compare. Shopping online does not require you to dress up or to commute to the store location. It does not require you to mingle the crowd and wait for long lines. What could be more convenient than that?

Truly, the internet has transformed how people shop nowadays. More and more people find that they prefer to shop online because of all the benefits it offers. Online shopping is truly convenient. All you have to do is to choose the items you wish to buy, process payment which can be done online too and then wait for the shipment of your products.

Now, online shopping also poses some safety risks and in our next post, we will talk about some tips on how you can stay safe everytime you shop online.

Benefits of online Shopping

More and more people are using the internet these days to shop. And there are many good reasons for that. While we can’t say that shopping online is risk free, the advantages and benefits surely outweigh all of these possible risks.

I know everyone will agree when I say that shopping, whether online or otherwise, can be the most ideal stress reliever or the best reward for a job well done. Browsing through racks of items on sale or shiny new stuff can be really entertaining and we can all be like little girls eyeing a jar of yummy candies, all giddy with excitement and anticipation. It is also the reason why most of us tend to go over board or get carried away at times and instead of being a relaxing endeavor as initially planned, we end up all the more stressed out after splurging on what we thought we really ought to buy. In our search for the best dress, or the latest gadget to possess, or in the midst of indulging on those ever enticing sale and promos, we temporarily forget about our spending cap or the limited cash in our wallet, as well as the recently made promise to only use your credit card in case of emergencies. Shopping is all too entertaining and addicting, in fact, that you proceed excitedly, anyway, throwing all cautions to the wind!

It was only after the shopping frenzy and the buying high has subsided, and after giving your purchases a good amount of afterthought, that your thinking will return back to normal and realize that you should not have bought half of what you have just spent hard earned money on. You will feel a different range of emotions, from guilt to regret, the intensities varying from the amount you splurged and the number of items you bought which you will end up not using or consuming, anyway. You might even experience buyer’s remorse, especially if you happened to purchase something rather very expensive, like a genuine leather shoes, perhaps, or a brand new car!

Guilt and remorse can be very awful to carry around and you cannot just feel like that each time you go to the mall or buy something. Here are a few pointers you might want to ponder on before proceeding to the checkout till to make that seemingly unwanted, unplanned, and unnecessary purchase:

Make a shopping list – this might be the oldest trick in the book but is also the most foolproof of all. If you make a list of items you need each time you head to the mall, you already get half of the job done. The other half, of course, is sticking to that list no matter how many sale signs you see around, that way you can ensure that you will only get to buy what is essential and required and avoid spending and splurging unnecessarily.

Think many times over before you make a purchase, especially the major ones – most of the time we only thought we needed to buy something, right, and after we have already paid for and went home with the item that we’d realize we absolutely can do away with buying the item in the first place. The trick here is to refrain from impulse buying. If you can think things through and think a hundred times more before proceeding to check out from an online shop or before heading straight to the cashier. Some would suggest that leaving the item behind and contemplating about buying it for about a day will also do the trick. Chances are you will realize you do not need the item in the first place or you would rather buy something else altogether. Of course, if after a day of thinking hard, and you still has the urge to buy the stuff, along with a dozen reasons why you need to buy it, do not be too hard on yourself. You can, after all, splurge on something you have well thought of, from time to time. The key is to be a wise shopper and an even wiser spender.

Yes, shopping and making purchases can be a lot of fun and it can be quite therapeutic, too. It is probably the reason why a lot of people actually enjoy the activity while some others tend to go overboard whenever they went on shopping spree and binges. Imagine all those new and shiny items arranged to flawless perfection in racks at the malls and shops, they are such eye candies and such a sight to behold. It is as if each one is saying “Come and buy me!” and some people actually succumb and cannot seem to resist the temptation to buy.

These shopping sprees may not pose any problem, especially if you have the means to buy, but if you are planning on major purchases it is a must that you do a thorough research before splurging and letting go of your hard earned money. It depends on what you consider as a major purchase, for some they may think any item amounting to $50 is considered a major purchase, and then some others might consider anything amounting to $100 and above is a major purchase. Either way, the safest practice is to do a meticulous research if you are planning to spend a considerable amount of money.

You must know more about the product you are eyeing to buy. Some may agree that brands and price tags guarantee a good quality product but it may not always be the case. That is why it is a must that you read as much as you can about the item you want to procure. Check out online buying sites like Amazon and the like for helpful review on different products. You may also watch videos and read blogs for detailed reviews of the item. These free resources in the world wide web will give you lots of information and insights on whether the product you are setting up to buy is a good buy or not.

Researching ahead about the item you want to purchase, may that be a new expensive gadget, a new car perhaps, or a new property, will save you all the trouble that impulse buying brings. You might think you actually need to purchase the item at the time, but making inquiries and studying about the product beforehand will be a very wise move for any would be shopper or buyer.

In the same manner, investigating about the product you want to buy before actually buying it will also save you from disappointment and impractical expectations. Having a thorough background about the product will help you formulate practical expectations and from there you can decide whether you really want to own that particular item or not.

Ultimately, scrutinizing about the product before making the actual purchase will help you save a substantial amount of money. When finding out that the particular item is not worth your money, you can instead save your budget for a more practical purchase instead of spending it on something else.

Yes, shopping and making purchases can be a lot of fun and it can be quite therapeutic, too. It is probably the reason why a lot of people actually enjoy the activity while some others tend to go overboard whenever they go on shopping spree and binges. Imagine all those new and shiny items arranged to flawless perfection in racks at the malls and shops, they are such eye candies and such a sight to behold. It is as if each one is saying “Come and buy me!” and some people actually succumb and cannot seem to resist the temptation to buy.

Especially for busy moms who consider going to the grocery or the shopping mall without the entire gang a treat, it is very easy to get carried away and stuff every pretty or interesting thing you see in the racks onto your shopping basket. It will definitely be most enjoyable and relaxing to go on a shopping binge, but of course, you will have to pay for everything and if you go above and beyond your budget, you are going to have a very big problem.

A very practical thing to practice during shopping is to double check everything you hauled onto your basket just before proceeding to the cashier to pay for your purchases. Chances are you might just find something in the pile that you are better off not to buy at all. If in case you are shopping with the little tots, it is best to rummage through your cart for stuff that they have chucked in there while you were busy doing your shopping.

Here are a few guidelines to help you examine the items in your shopping cart and evaluate whether they are worthy to be purchased:

Need Versus Want

It is a must that you examine whether each item you put in your shopping basket is a need that you require or merely a want that you just picked up out of curiosity, excitement, or whim. Determine whether you shall be using this item for a long while and whether it is worth the price you are paying for it.

Is It Worth It?

If you find an item you have been looking forward to buy but comes in quite a steep price tag, it is best to ask yourself whether this purchase is worth it. Determine whether it will be worth every penny you are shelling out to purchase this item. Chances are, you might just find a more affordable alternative somewhere else. You might even find a similar item online that is up for grabs at a much cheaper price.

Stick With Your Shopping List

If you are the type that will get all excited at the site of racks upon racks of on sale items in the mall, it is best to go there armed with a complete shopping list of every single item that you need to buy. Make sure to stick to your list as much as you can and refrain from deviating from your list while you can. This is the best way to make sure you are only buying what you actually need and you will be sticking to your budget, as well.

When Doing Your Groceries

The kitchen is one part of our home that requires regular trips to the supermarket. Items in the pantry needs to be replenished on a regular basis and if you do not re-examine your grocery basket each time, there are more chances to get something that you might not require or pantry staples that might be left unused, unconsumed, or uneaten. It is best to make a thorough survey of your pantry or refrigerator before doing those grocery trips so you will not end up buying something you will end up not using or will be left spoiling in the fridge. It is also best to create dishes using different items on stock, working with whatever is left available in your freezer or storage so no food item will be spoiled or go to waste.

Especially for busy moms who consider going to the grocery or the shopping mall without the entire gang a treat, it is very easy to get carried away and stuff every pretty or interesting thing you see in the racks onto your shopping basket. It will definitely be most enjoyable and relaxing to go on a shopping binge, but of course, you will have to pay for everything and if you go above and beyond your budget, you are going to have a very big problem.

Little Moves You can Do to Improve your Financial Situation and Save Money

These days, saving money is a challenge. When you go out, there are many temptations to spend money even on unimportant things. We think these things could buy us happiness only to find that such kind of happiness is only temporary. Then, we only want and crave for more.

The never ending cycle of making and spending money goes on and on in our lives, until we make a decision to stop. When we learn to evaluate our spending habits and our attitude towards money and how the little expenses adds up, we begin to realize that there’s so much more we can do to keep our hard earned money.

1. Do the math – Before spending money on anything, you must know how many hours, days, weeks and months you need to work in order to be able to afford buying it. Let’s say you’re earning $15 per hour and work 5 hours a day. And let’s say you wanna buy an expensive scarf that costs $2,500. Before you let your impulsiveness take you, calculate how many days you would need to work to come up with the $2,500. That means that if you decide to buy it, you would need to work around 33 days. Do you really think its a good idea to spend all your month’s worth of paycheck for that expensive scarf that you think would give you a fashion edge over your friends? Is it all worth it? Doing the math and doing your calculations will help you put things into perspective and help you spend your money only on things you can afford.

2. Watch less television – Now, television can be very time consuming. You sit there and don’t realize that your time is drifting. Before you know it, you have spent 2 hours just sitting there, gazing your eyes on the television show and doing nothing. Watching television is not only unproductive but its also a waste of previous time you can spend doing more important things, or making money. Watching less tv also helps you cut back on electrical bills.

3. Do not buy your gifts – Yes, you heard it! You’ll most likely save more by making your own gifts instead of just buying them from the store. If you are good with arts and crafts and have plenty of time, it is really better to personalize and make your own gifts for your friends and loved ones, especially in important holidays like Christmas. Instead of buying and giving expensive gifts, give less expensive items such as cookies, candles, candies, soaps etc.

4. Sew your own clothes – If you know how to sew, it is certainly a perfect idea to make use of it by making your own clothes. You only have to buy the fabric and you can buy inexpensive ones from the shop then make your own designs. This is a great idea especially if you have small kids. Children’s clothes can be very expensive these days and there’s no better way to save on them but to make your own. If you don’t know how to sew yet, you can attend sewing classes to learn the basics then you can set out on your own. Who knows this even have the possibility of turning into a homebased business?

5. Stop spending huge for the sake of entertaining your kids – Too many parents these days spend so little time with their children and to make up for the guilt spend tons of money entertaining them. This can be in the form of buying them expensive toys, clothing and experiences. You have to stop. This is a surefire way to waste your money as children will never find contentment and satisfaction in things. All they want the most is your time and you need to give them exactly what they want.

6. Never go out to the store without a list of things to buy – In other words, don’t go shopping without a clear idea of what you will be buying. Most people go out window shopping and then just make the decision of what to buy when they are already in the store. This will not help you save on cash. Instead, you’ll end up buying more unnecessary items and paying for more. So, make sure you have a list and most of all, be sure to follow through and stick to that list as much as possible. Never buy something that’s not on the list, unless you have forgotten something which is extremely important.

7. Put things you want to buy in a 30 day waiting list before deciding to buy it – You might have heard of this money saving technique many times but more often than not, very few of you actually do it. This technique is my favorite because it helps me clear my mind and rethink things instead of giving in to my buying impulses. In many instances, you’ll end up not buying these things because you have had enough time to think things through and in most cases, you don’t really need the thing.

8. Pay attention to your health – Most people wake up in the hospital one day without realizing what they’ve done to become ill. But we all know that disease do not just happen in one day, in most instances. They are an accumulation of unhealthy habits that we fail to pay attention to. Most of us, don’t take charge of our health until we are sick. Paying attention to our health is very important. Health is wealth. If you don’t have it, you won’t have the ability to enjoy life and to make more money. So, take care of your health. Medical expenses can affect your budget and financial situation greatly.

9. Buy items in bulk and wait for store sale events – Buying things on sale will really help you save tons of cash. Malls and shops have their regular sale events. This happens on holidays, occassions and instances like Black Friday. Also, buying items in bulk will help you save money. This is great especially if you have a huge family. Buying household items such as cleaning soaps, detergents, shampoos in bulk can give you lots of savings as compared to buying them per piece.

10. Shop online – Shopping online has become tremendously popular over the years for a reason. Shopping online can help you save on gas, because you no longer have to drive to the store to buy your items. Also, many online shopping sites have free shipping service that you can take advantage so you don’t have to pay extra to have your items shipped at your doorsteps.

These days, saving money is a challenge. When you go out, there are many temptations to spend money even on unimportant things. We think these things could buy us happiness only to find that such kind of happiness is only temporary. Then, we only want and crave for more.

The never ending cycle of making and spending money goes on and on in our lives, until we make a decision to stop. When we learn to evaluate our spending habits and our attitude towards money and how the little expenses adds up, we begin to realize that there’s so much more we can do to keep our hard earned money.

1. Do the math – Before spending money on anything, you must know how many hours, days, weeks and months you need to work in order to be able to afford buying it. Let’s say you’re earning $15 per hour and work 5 hours a day. And let’s say you wanna buy an expensive scarf that costs $2,500. Before you let your impulsiveness take you, calculate how many days you would need to work to come up with the $2,500. That means that if you decide to buy it, you would need to work around 33 days. Do you really think its a good idea to spend all your month’s worth of paycheck for that expensive scarf that you think would give you a fashion edge over your friends? Is it all worth it? Doing the math and doing your calculations will help you put things into perspective and help you spend your money only on things you can afford.

2. Watch less television – Now, television can be very time consuming. You sit there and don’t realize that your time is drifting. Before you know it, you have spent 2 hours just sitting there, gazing your eyes on the television show and doing nothing. Watching television is not only unproductive but its also a waste of previous time you can spend doing more important things, or making money. Watching less tv also helps you cut back on electrical bills.

3. Do not buy your gifts – Yes, you heard it! You’ll most likely save more by making your own gifts instead of just buying them from the store. If you are good with arts and crafts and have plenty of time, it is really better to personalize and make your own gifts for your friends and loved ones, especially in important holidays like Christmas. Instead of buying and giving expensive gifts, give less expensive items such as cookies, candles, candies, soaps etc.

4. Sew your own clothes – If you know how to sew, it is certainly a perfect idea to make use of it by making your own clothes. You only have to buy the fabric and you can buy inexpensive ones from the shop then make your own designs. This is a great idea especially if you have small kids. Children’s clothes can be very expensive these days and there’s no better way to save on them but to make your own. If you don’t know how to sew yet, you can attend sewing classes to learn the basics then you can set out on your own. Who knows this even have the possibility of turning into a homebased business?

5. Stop spending huge for the sake of entertaining your kids – Too many parents these days spend so little time with their children and to make up for the guilt spend tons of money entertaining them. This can be in the form of buying them expensive toys, clothing and experiences. You have to stop. This is a surefire way to waste your money as children will never find contentment and satisfaction in things. All they want the most is your time and you need to give them exactly what they want.

6. Never go out to the store without a list of things to buy – In other words, don’t go shopping without a clear idea of what you will be buying. Most people go out window shopping and then just make the decision of what to buy when they are already in the store. This will not help you save on cash. Instead, you’ll end up buying more unnecessary items and paying for more. So, make sure you have a list and most of all, be sure to follow through and stick to that list as much as possible. Never buy something that’s not on the list, unless you have forgotten something which is extremely important.

7. Put things you want to buy in a 30 day waiting list before deciding to buy it – You might have heard of this money saving technique many times but more often than not, very few of you actually do it. This technique is my favorite because it helps me clear my mind and rethink things instead of giving in to my buying impulses. In many instances, you’ll end up not buying these things because you have had enough time to think things through and in most cases, you don’t really need the thing.

8. Pay attention to your health – Most people wake up in the hospital one day without realizing what they’ve done to become ill. But we all know that disease do not just happen in one day, in most instances. They are an accumulation of unhealthy habits that we fail to pay attention to. Most of us, don’t take charge of our health until we are sick. Paying attention to our health is very important. Health is wealth. If you don’t have it, you won’t have the ability to enjoy life and to make more money. So, take care of your health. Medical expenses can affect your budget and financial situation greatly.

9. Buy items in bulk and wait for store sale events – Buying things on sale will really help you save tons of cash. Malls and shops have their regular sale events. This happens on holidays, occassions and instances like Black Friday. Also, buying items in bulk will help you save money. This is great especially if you have a huge family. Buying household items such as cleaning soaps, detergents, shampoos in bulk can give you lots of savings as compared to buying them per piece.

10. Shop online – Shopping online has become tremendously popular over the years for a reason. Shopping online can help you save on gas, because you no longer have to drive to the store to buy your items. Also, many online shopping sites have free shipping service that you can take advantage so you don’t have to pay extra to have your items shipped at your doorsteps.

We’ll give you more tips on a part 2 article of the same topic. So watch out for more money saving tips from us!

These days, saving money is a challenge. When you go out, there are many temptations to spend money even on unimportant things. We think these things could buy us happiness only to find that such kind of happiness is only temporary. Then, we only want and crave for more.

1. Paying for high interest credit card debt – By January of this year 2014, the American Household Credit card has confirmed that there are already $856.9 billion consumer credit card debt in America. It has become a bad habit for most people to rely on credit card instead of using on-hand cash when making purchases. A great number of people also rely on credit card for emergency situations such as the loss of a job and being unemployed for a certain period of time unexpectedly, medical emergencies or perhaps for college education.

There are times that the use of credit card may be beneficial. When it helps us cover for emergency situations where we have no other resort for example. However, many families have been placed in difficult financial situations all because of the use of credit cards. The interest rates can accumulate and can definitely put you in a financial debt mess if you are not careful. The rule is to always live within your means, which means that you should only buy what you can afford.

2. Through Wasted Food – What you don’t realize is that you are wasting tons of cash by throwing away those unwanted foods in your kitchen. Annually, America is losing billions of dollars in cash through these wasted food. So the next time you are thinking of throwing away food on the table that can still be eaten or utilized in some way, think of it as money which you are actually wasting.

3. Unhealthy Eating Habits – Many Americans love eating junk foods, fast foods such as burgers, spaghetti, fries and soda drinks. Without us knowing it, spending for these items add up. Try to add up the money you spend monthly on coffee alone or on unhealthy junk foods to keep your mouth preoccupied. Not to mention that these foods damage your health eventually and you could potentially end up with serious diseases that require expensive treatments and medicines. Deliberately choosing to eat healthy will involve some attention and time on your part but the long term rewards and benefits will really do you so much. Not only will it allow you to save on medical expenses but it will also allow you to enjoy more years of health and vitality and more time which you can use to generate more cash or improve your status.

4. Speedy Delivery of purchased items – In most cases, we do not really need a speedy delivery servie for the items we purchase but we opt for them just because we can’t be patient enough. We can’t wait for more days to see and get our hands on our purchased items and so we end up paying for higher shipping fees.

5. Designer Clothing and Items for our Children – Many parents want their children to look their best all the time and so they end up buying expensive clothing and items for them to wear. What we don’t realize is that children quickly grow and they outgrow their clothes very quickly. Whether it be a dress, or a shirt or a pair of shoes, these clothings will never really be used for too long by your kids because they are growing creatures. And they grow very fast. So, it is always better to be practical when it comes to this.

1. Paying for high interest credit card debt - By January of this year 2014, the American Household Credit card has confirmed that there are already $856.9 billion consumer credit card debt in America. It has become a bad habit for most people to rely on credit card instead of using on-hand cash when making purchases. A great number of people also rely on credit card for emergency situations such as the loss of a job and being unemployed for a certain period of time unexpectedly, medical emergencies or perhaps for college education.

If you have been heading to our facebook fanpage, you’d notice we posted several back to school tips from blogs we found online. But ofcourse, we also have our very own back to school tips for you guys, especially to all moms out there.

Our goal is to help you prepare for back to school with ease and preparedness to avoid stress and make the experience more fun for you and your kids. Here are our very own tips for moms, students and anyone who is interested to learn how to make the back to school season a happy and less stressful one.

a. Label your child’s school items with their names – putting your child’s name in their belongings is very important to make sure they don’t lose their things in school or even at home. Or if ever they lose it, it’s more likely to get returned to them because of the names on it. This way, you don’t end up buying them the same school item several times throughout the school year. In other words, it helps you save on cash.

b. Use existing supplies that haven’t been used from last year’s school year – chances are, you still have a few school supplies that your kid’s haven’t used from last year. Before heading on to shop for new supplies, be sure to check your storage for any supplies you can still make use of. So you won’t have to buy them anymore. You will be surprised at how much you can save with this.

c. Plan a rewards program to help motivate your children to study better and do better in school – If you have trouble with the academics of your children and you are already doing your best to help them but they seem to be low of motivation, try to set a plan to reward them. Make sure you communicate this plan to them and most importantly, make sure that you follow through. Make a visual pasted somewhere in your house or in their school items that will help them remind of the rewards they will be getting if they do better in school. Check out this post on why a rewards system for kids is important – http://mom.me/parenting/6401-kids-behavior-and-reward-programs/.

d. Take time to visit your child’s school – This is particularly important if your child is enrolled in a new school. But even if he’s not, it helps a lot for you to visit the school prior to the start of the school year. Get to know the teachers, check out the policies, facilities and everything else you wish to be acquainted with.

e. Bring excitement to the upcoming school year by talking positively and enthusiastically about schooling and learning – You’ll notice that if you do this, you won’t have a problem motivating kids to be eager to learn in school. They will pick up your vibrations. So make sure that you don’t make it sound like the upcoming schooling is a bad thing or a sad thing such as an end to their happy no school days. Help them look forward to this day with joy, excitement and happiness. It largely depends on you.

f. Check out our Back to School coupons/promotions in our back to school page – Last but not the least, be sure to head on to our page where we have the different back to school promotions offered by our partner stores. There are plenty of coupons to choose from which will help you save tons of cash as you get ready for the next school year.

http://couponbuzz.com/seasonal/back-to-school

If you have been heading to our facebook fanpage, you’d notice we posted several back to school tips from blogs we found online. But of course, we also have our very own back to school tips for you guys, especially to all moms out there. Our goal is to help you prepare for back to school with ease and preparedness to avoid stress and make the experience more fun for you and your kids. Here are our very own tips for moms, students and anyone who is interested to learn how to make the back to school season a happy and less stressful one.

If you’re like most moms, you spend months planning your kid’s birthday parties, spend all your energy preparing for them and last but not the least, spend tons of money for that one day event. More often than you realized, you are spending way a bit more than necessary. If you’re an all or nothing type of person, you probably would just think it’s better to just let it all go and just not hold the party anymore.

You actually can have a birthday party for your kids without burning a hole in your pocket. It’s simple and it’s all a matter of finding out what works and what doesn’t. It involves a lot of planning, but the extra savings it would give you would definitely be worth the hassle.

Based on my own experience through trial and error, these are the things I’ve considered has worked best for me and probably for you too.

1. Save up for that event – Instead of taking a huge portion of your budget and money for that party, why don’t you save up for it 12 months ahead so that you won’t find yourself, having to use all of that $200-$300 from your income? If you save $20 a month for example, you would already have $240 by the end of your 12th month and you can use this money to fund your party. Then, you can just add a little to it if you want. But if won’t feel like your spending too much because you already had the money for it. Sounds like a great idea right?

2. Budget – One of the trick which doesn’t go missing on any money saving article is budgeting. Whether it be for monthly expenses, parties, events and trips, budgeting does work. The key is to decide on a budget and stick to it. Before you start saving up for your event, you have to decide how much you need. You’ll have to decide on a particular budget. A budget will help you stay on track and make sure you do not overspend.

3. Spend less on Decoations – Most moms spend tons of money to make the decorations look elegant and perfect. But you can actually do them yourself. A DIY decoration not only is less expensive but it has some personal touch on it. Making decorations can even be an inexpensive and enjoyable bonding activity for you and your kids.

4. Buy from Thrift Stores – Instead of buying your needed supplies in an expensive party shop, head on to a thrif store first. Chances are, you can find lots of items there that are half less expensive as those you can buy from the shop.

5. Use what you already have – Before buying items, check your supplies and inventories for things you might already have. Chances are, there are items from your previous parties and events that you can still utilize instead of buying new ones. Make sure you know you have them before you head on to shop.

6. Ask friends and relatives to be the clown, party entertainers, etc. instead of hiring professional ones – If you are hosting an informal neighborhood party, you don’t need to impress too hard by hiring professionals. Let go of the need for perfection and the need to impress and you’ll find that there is plenty of room for you to save tons of cash. Ask friends, relatives and neighbors to be the emcee or program facilitators, dancers, clowns or performer during the program. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to find people to cooperate so you can make the best party for your kid a reality, without you burning a hole in yourpocket.

If you’re like most moms, you spend months planning your kid’s birthday parties, spend all your energy preparing for them and last but not the least, spend tons of money for that one day event. More often than you realized, you are spending way a bit more than necessary. If you’re an all or nothing type of person, you probably would just think it’s better to just let it all go and just not hold the party anymore.